Aquaero boat glider



Nov. 14, 1967 A H. c. WILSON 3,352,275

AQUAERO BOAT GLIDER Filed Aug. 8, 1966 2 Sheets-,Sheet 1 H. C. WILSON Nov. 14, 1967 AQUAERO BOAT GLIDER Filed Aug. 8, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 )MM5/V70@ H0/V557 C. W4 Sa/V United States Patent O 3,352,275 AQUAERO BOAT GLIDER Homer C. Wilson, Thida, Ark. 72165 Filed Aug. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 576,862 4 Claims. (Cl. 114-235) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLGSURE An aquatic glider having a relatively broad under-surface, and which may be towed over the surface of water and which with suilicient speed will gradually become airborne.

This invention relates generally to air and water supported gliders. More specifically, a glider which may be interchangeably supported upon the surface of water or within the air.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an aero glider that may be towed on the surface of water and which upon attaining suicient speed has selfcontained means for rising into the air and become airborne.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a glider which may be towed by a speed boat upon the surface of the water and which has self-contained means for being released from tow by the boat whenever the rider upon the glider chooses to do so.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a glider having spaced apart otation means so as to provide stability thereof while in tow.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a glider which may be made in various designs so as to appeal to various persons and yet contain all the principles of its operation.

Other objects yof the present invention are to provide a glider which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and eicient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident on a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a wingsh design of t-he present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a flying fish design of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a lady nymph design of the present invention, and s-hown in operative use while in tow by a motor boat;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged plan view of a lock assembly used for securing the glider to a tow line of a speed boat;

FIGURE 6 is a similar view -thereof in an alternate position;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a portion of the mechanism thereof shown in a locked position;

FIGURE 7-A is a fragmentary view similar to FIG- URE 7 shown in an alternate position;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a boat equipped wit-h flotation receptacles which are used to stabilize the Iboat in rough weather;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the flotation structure shown in FIGURE 8, shown per se.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 10, shown in FIGURE 1, represents an aquaero boat glider according to the present invention, wherein there is an elongated central panel 11 and a float 12 adjacent each side of the central panel 11. As is shown in FIGURE 1, the contour of the glider is streamlined with arcuate ICC side edges 13, a rounded front end 14 and rounded rear end 15. This contour here illustrated comprises a winglish design for purpose of popular appeal to aquatic Sportsmen. The forward end 16 of the central panel is upwardly tilted so as to rise upwardly over the water Iwhen the same is towed, and the portion 16 includes means for connection of a pair of handle straps 17 which extend upwardly and rearwardly to a handle 1S to which a rider holds when the device is in use. Each handle strap has a supoprting 4bra-ce 19 extending vertically downward therefrom to connect the same to the central panel 11.

A locking element 20 is secured to t-he upwardly inclined front port-ion of the :center panel by meansof a pin 21 to which there are pivoted a pair of levers -22 each of which forms a jaw 23 at its forward end for grasping an enlarged knob 24, the rear end of a tow line 25 that extends from a motor or speed boat 26. The rear ends of the levers 22 are each lconnected by means of a pin 26 to one end of links 27, the opposite ends of the links being connected by means of a pin 2S to the forward end of a control line 29 extending rearwardly and having a control knob 30 at the -rear end thereof. A compression spring 31 is located between the levers -22 to normally maintain the rear ends thereof in spaced-apart relation. The lock mechanism is shown in a latched position in FIGURE 5 and in an unlatched position in FIGURE 6.

As shown -in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, the center panel 11 is of generally iiat configuration and the lioats 12 are also relatively liat however each float may enclose a hollow chamber 32 to provide buoyancy to the glider when in the water. It is of course understood that the manufacturer may make the floats relatively thinner if he so prefers to maintain the device in a maximum streamlined design.

While FIGURE 1 illustrates a wingish design of the present invention, FIGURE 2 illustrates a flying fish design wherein there is a like central panel 11 and iioats 12 adjacent each side thereof. In the flying lish design the contour includes rearwardly diverging outer side edges 33, instead of the arcuate outer edges 13 as is present in the wingsh design.

In FIGURE 4 a lady nymph design is shown wherein the center panel 11 also includes floats 12 adjacent each side thereof and wherein the outer side edge is of arcuate coniguration 13 which terminates at the front and rear end in points 14 and 15 respectively.

In FIGURE 4 a construction 36 is shown mounted upon the motor .boat 26, the tow rope 25 being secured thereto. The structure 36 includes a frame 37 comprised of vertical legs 38 secured at their lower ends within brackets 39 upon opposite outer sides 40 of the hull 41, a transverse beam 42 extending across the upper end of the vertical post 38, an upward extending rod 33 centrally positioned on the beam 42, a swivel 44 at the upper end of the rod 43, the tow rope 25 being connected to the swivel 44. Braces or guy wires 45 may be provided for maintaining the frame '37 in -rigid securement upon the boat 26.

In operative use the rider 46 stands or sits upon the center panel 11 of the glider and holds upon the handle 18 as is shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawing. The glider then -is towed across the water 47 by means of the boat 26 -to which the tow line 25 is secured. As the glider attains greater speed it will tend to rise out of the water and into the air 48 thereby making the same airborne. Thus the glider will move back and forth between the water and air as the boat changes speed or as the rider 46 may change balance of his weight upon the glider. It is to be noted that the present glider may be equipped with gas cartridges and the oats may be equipped with valves so that the floats may ybe inated with gas cartridge if so preferred for purpose of attaining better elevation in climbing into the air after attaining speed.

As shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 a flotation system 50 may be provided 4for the speed boat so that the same may be moved at relatively high speed around Shar-p corners or through relatively rough Waters. The flotation system 50 includes a pair of oats 51 secured at opposite ends of a pair of iiexible lines 52. Each of the lines 52 has a hook 53 at its terminal end for purpose of securing the device over the gunnel 54 of the boat 55. This 'flotation system would provide greater stability to the boatunder adverse conditions while towing the glider. Additionally, this device will maintain the boat aoat if for any purpose it should otherwise become upset or be swamped by seas.

Whenever it is desired by the rider 46 to disengage the glider with communication of theboat tow rope 25, the rider may then grasp the knob 30 at the end of the control line 29 and pull upon the same, thus causing the rear ends of the jaws 22 to be brought toward each other against the action of the spring 31. This causes the forward ends 23 to separate and release their hold upon the knob 24 at the rear end of the tow line 25, thus separating the glider from the tow rope as is shown in FIGURE 6 of the drawing.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as is dened by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a boat glider, a combination of a longitudinal central panel, a pair of floats, each one of said iloats being adjacent one side of said central panel, holding means upon said central panel for a rider to ride upon said central panel, and means for securing said glider to a tow line from a boat, said means Vfor holding said glider comprises a pair of upwardly, rearwardly extending straps, a handle across the rear end of said straps, a pair of upper extending braces connected to said handle straps to said central panel and said handle providing a means for being grasped by the hands of said rider, said means for securing said glider to said tow rope of said boat comprising a lock mechanism, said lock mechanism comprising a pair of levers pivotally connected together by means of a pin secured to forward portion of said central panel, each of said levers having a jaw coniigurated at its forward end, each of said levers having a rear and pivotally connected by means of a pin to a link, each of said links being connected to `a pin at the .forward end of a control line, said control line extending rearwardly and having a control knob at the rear end thereof, a compression spring between the rear ends of said levers, said spring normally urging said rear ends of said levers apart, and said jaws of said levers normally grasping the knob at the rearend of said tow rope.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the,

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein the forward end of said tow rope is secured to a frame mounted on a motor boat, said frame comprising a pair of yupward extending posts, each of said posts being secured at the lower ends to a side of said boat, the upper ends of said posts having 'a horizontal cross-beam extending there across, said cross-beam having -an upward extending rod centrally positioned thereupon, the upper end of said rod having a swivel, and said swivel being connected to the front end of said tow line.

4. The combination as set forthin claim 3 wherein said motor boat includes a stabilizing mech-anism, said stabilizing mechanism comprising a pair of floats, each of said iloats being secured near the opposite ends of a pair of flexible lines, each of said flexible lines having a hook -at its terminal end, said hooks being engageable over the gunwales of said boat.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,027,574 4/1962 Meehan 9-310 3,200,421 8/1965, Williams 9-310 FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner.

MILTON BU CHLER, Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A BOAT GLIDER, A COMBINATION OF A LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL PANEL, A PAIR OF FLOATS, EACH ONE OF SAID FLOATS BEING ADJACENT ONE SIDE OF SAID CENTRAL PANEL, HOLDING MEANS UPON SAID CENTRAL PANELS FOR A RIDER TO RIDE UPON SAID CENTRAL PANEL, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID GLIDER TO A TOW LINE FROM A BOAT, SAID MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID GLIDER COMPRISES A PAIR OF UPWARDLY, REARWARDLY EXTENDING STRAPS, A HANDLE ACROSS THE REAR END OF SAID STRAPS, A PAIR OF UPPER EXTENDING BRACES CONNECTED TO SAID HANDLE STRAPS TO SAID CENTRAL PANEL AND SAID HANDLE, PROVIDING A MEANS FOR BEING GRASPED BY THE HANDS OF SAID RIDER, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID GLIDER TO SAID TOW ROPE OF SAID BOAT COMPRISING A LOCK MECHANISM, SAID LOCK MECHANISM COMPRISING A PAIR OF LEVERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TOGETHER BY MEANS OF A PIN SECURED TO FORWARD PORTION OF SAID CENTRAL PANEL, EACH OF SAID LEVERS HAVING A JAW CONFIGURATED AT ITS FORWARD END, EACH OF SAID LEVERS HAVING A REAR AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED BY MEANS OF A PIN TO A LINK, EACH OF SAID LINKS BEING CONNECTED TO A PIN AT THE FORWARD END OF A CONTROL LINE, SAID CONTROL LINE EXTENDING REARWARDLY AND HAVING A CONTROL KNOB AT THE REAR END THEREOF, A COMPRESSION SPRING BETWEEN THE REAR END OF SAID LEVERS, SAID SPRING NORMALLY URGING SAID REAR ENDS OF SAID LEVERS APART, AND SAID JAWS OF SAID LEVERS NORMALLY GRASPING THE KNOB AT THE REAR END OF SAID LOW ROPE. 